Debt, Religious Beliefs, and Life Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to explore religious factors as a resource for coping with indebtedness. Using a sample (n = 3,174) extracted from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we examined the relationship between household debt and life satisfaction, and tested for stress-buffering (i.e., moderation) from religious identification, religious beliefs, and prayer frequency. Results suggest that some religious factors may play a small role in moderating the relationship between indebtedness and life satisfaction, and that such moderation is itself dependent on one’s religious identification. Implications for practice (particularly faith-based providers of financial counseling) and recommendations for future research are discussed

Eutrophication-induced phosphorus limitation in the Mississippi River plume: Evidence from fast repetition rate fluorometry

We assessed nutrient limitation in the Mississippi River plurne and Louisiana continental shelf during the summer of 2002 (04-08 July). We measured nutrient concentrations, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities, chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations, and four fast repetition rate fluorescence (FRRF) parameters: the maximum quantum yield of photochemistry in photosystem II (PSII), F-v:F-m; the functional absorption cross section for PSII, sigma(psII); the time for photosynthetic electron transport on the acceptor side of PSII, tau(Qa); and the connectivity factor, p, in 24-h-long nutrient addition bioassays near the Mississippi River delta. Low phosphorus (P) concentrations, elevated inorganic nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios, high AP activities, and Chl a increases in response to P additions in the bioassays all indicated phosphorus limitation that was confirmed by the response of FRRF parameters. This is the first study to use FRRF to confirm results from basic oceanographic methods to demonstrate phosphorus limitation in a marine setting. F-v:F-m and p responded positively to phosphorus addition, while sigma(psII) and tau(Qa) decreased in the same treatments. When nitrate alone was added, none of the measured parameters differed significantly from the control. We therefore suggest that FRRF can be used to rapidly detect phosphorus limitation in marine ecosystems

Effects of a Tailored Follow-Up Intervention on Health Behaviors, Beliefs, and Attitudes

Background: The high rates of relapse that tend to occur after short-term behavioral interventions indicate the need for maintenance programs that promote long-term adherence to new behavior patterns. Computer-tailored health messages that are mailed to participants or given in brief telephone calls offer an innovative and time-efficient alternative to ongoing face-to-face contact with healthcare providers. Methods: Following a 1-year behavior change program, 22 North Carolina health departments were randomly assigned to a follow-up intervention or control condition. Data were collected from 1999 to 2001 by telephone-administered surveys at preintervention and postintervention for 511 low-income, midlife adult women enrolled in the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program at local North Carolina health departments. During the year after the behavior change program, intervention participants were mailed six sets of computer-tailored health messages and received two computer-tailored telephone counseling sessions. Main outcomes of dietary and physical activity behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes were measured. Results: Intervention participants were more likely to move forward into more advanced stages of physical activity change (p = 0.02); control participants were more likely to increase their level of dietary social support at follow-up (p = 0.05). Both groups maintained low levels of reported saturated fat and cholesterol intake at follow-up. No changes were seen in physical activity in either group. Conclusions: Mailed computer-tailored health messages and telephone counseling calls favorably modified forward physical activity stage movement but did not appreciably affect any other psychosocial or behavioral outcomes

Parental Criticism and Coherence in Association With Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms

Internalizing symptoms are symptoms that cannot necessarily be seen. Examples of internalized symptoms include, suicidal thoughts, being withdrawn, and unexplained bodily problems. High levels of internalized symptoms are associated with a higher risk for difficulties in social adjustment and increased risk for substance use.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2023/1061/thumbnail.jp

Microbes and the marine phosphorus cycle

Author Posting. © Oceanography Society, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 20, 2 (2007): 110-116.Phosphorus (P) is fundamental to life, and years of study in marine systems have built a broad understanding of the marine P cycle. Various aspects of marine P biogeochemistry have been reviewed previously (Benitez-Nelson, 2000; Paytan and McLaughlin, 2007). Here, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of marine P and the interactions between microbes and the P cycle. These advances come from a variety of disciplines, but generally highlight three main themes: (1) ocean microbes are adapted for surviving in a variable P environment, (2) the dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) pool likely plays a critical role in driving growth, metabolism, and community composition of ocean microorganisms, and (3) P is very rapidly cycled, which highlights its importance in marine systems

Association Between Physical Activity and Proximity to Physical Activity Resources Among Low-Income, Midlife Women

INTRODUCTION: The association between levels of physical activity and perceived and objectively measured proximity to physical activity resources is unclear. Clarification is important so that future programs can intervene upon the measure with the greatest association. We examined correlations between perceived and objectively measured proximity to physical activity resources and then examined associations between both measures of proximity and objectively measured physical activity. METHODS: Participants (n = 199) were underinsured women from three counties in southeastern North Carolina. Perceived proximity to physical activity resources (e.g., parks, gyms, schools) was measured using surveys. Objectively measured proximity included geographic information systems road network distance to the closest resource and existence of resources within 1- and 2-mile buffers surrounding participants' homes. To examine the association between proximity to resources and activity, the dependent variable in multiple linear regression models was the natural logarithm of accelerometer-measured moderate to vigorous physical activity in minutes per day. RESULTS: Pearson correlation coefficients for perceptions of distance and objectively measured distance to physical activity resources ranged from 0.40 (gyms, schools) to 0.54 (parks). Perceived distance to gyms and objective number of schools within 1-mile buffers were negatively associated with activity. No statistically significant relationships were found between activity and perceived or objectively measured proximity to parks. CONCLUSION: Results indicate the need for both individual and environmental intervention strategies to increase levels of physical activity among underinsured, midlife women. More work is needed to determine the most effective strategies

Predictors and outcomes of excess gestational weight gain among low-income pregnant women

Low-income women were interviewed and their post-natal records were retrieved (n = 160) to assess prevalence of excess gestational weight gain and its socio-demographic predictors. More than half of the women (64%) gained excess weight during pregnancy, with an average of 10 lbs in excess of Institute of Medicine guidelines. Logistic regression indicated that women that started pregnancy at an obese body mass index; who were African American or having an unplanned pregnancy were at significant risk of gaining excess weight in pregnancy. Intervention to prevent excess weight gain during pregnancy is critical in addressing obesity epidemic in the United States and worldwide

Family-based interventions for preventing overweight or obesity among preschoolers from racial/ethnic minority groups: A scoping review

Objective: This scoping review aimed to synthesize the published literature on family-based childhood obesity prevention interventions from 2015 to 2021 that focused on children 2–5 years of age from racial and/or ethnic minority households. Methods: A PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and setting) framework was used to guide the development of the research question, search strategy, and inclusion/exclusion criteria. To be included, the study must have been a randomized controlled trial or quasi-experimental trial that enrolled participants 2–5 years of age and their caregivers who identified as being from a racial and/or ethnic minority group in the United States. The study must have also examined a family-based intervention that incorporated components to prevent childhood obesity (i.e., fruits and vegetable intake, parental responsive feeding, physical activity), be conducted in a remote (i.e., online, text, mail), home, community, primary care setting, or early childhood education institution setting, and report on body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), BMI z-score, anthropometric measures (weight, waist circumference, fat mass, etc.), changes in health behaviors, or increase in nutritional knowledge. Results: Fourteen individual studies were identified. Most interventions used multiple components for promoting nutritional knowledge and behavioral changes among families. Eight interventions included culturally tailored components targeting four aspects: (1) language barriers, (2) food choices, (3) relationships between family members, and (4) rapport building. Conclusions: There is limited research in this field focusing on children from racial and/or ethnic minority groups. Future efforts should invest in developing culturally appropriate interventions for these groups

A storm in a shelf sea: Variation in phosphorus distribution and organic matter stoichiometry

Organic matter (OM) plays an important role in productive shelf seas and their contribution to global carbon (C) and nutrient cycles. We investigated the impact of storm mixing on OM dynamics in the seasonally stratified Celtic Sea. After the storm, OM production was decoupled from consumption in the euphotic layer. Over the 15 day study, dissolved OM (DOM) became phosphorus (P) rich relative to C, whereas particulate OM (POM) became P-deplete relative to C. Upward diapycnal phosphate fluxes were accompanied by reciprocal downward mixing of dissolved organic P (DOP) and particulate P (PPhos). Transfer of DOP and PPhos below the thermocline accounts for 22% and 26%, respectively, of the upward phosphate flux. Given the changes in stoichiometry of POM and DOM after the storm, the form in which OM is transferred below the thermocline has important implications for the efficiency of elemental transfer, impacting C cycling and storage in the ocean

Impact of lipid-based nutrient supplementation (LNS) on children\u27s diet adequacy in Western Uganda

Lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) can help treat undernutrition; however, the dietary adequacy of children supplemented with LNS, and household utilisation patterns are not well understood. We assessed diet adequacy and the quality of complementary foods by conducting a diet assessment of 128 Ugandan children, ages 6-59 months, who participated in a 10-week programme for children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM, defined as weight-for-age z-score \u3c -2). Caregivers were given a weekly ration of 650 kcal day (-1) (126 g day(-1)) of a peanut/ soy LNS. Two 24-h dietary recalls were administered per child. LNS was offered to 86% of targeted children at least once. Among non-breastfed children, over 90% met their estimated average requirement (EAR) cut-points for all examined nutrients. Over 90% of breastfed children met EAR cut-points for nutrient density for most nutrients, except for zinc where 11.7% met cut-points. A lower proportion of both breastfed and non-breastfed children met adjusted EARs for the specific nutritional needs of MAM. Fewer than 20% of breastfed children met EAR nutrient-density guidelines for MAM for zinc, vitamin C, vitamin A and folate. Underweight status, the presence of a father in the child\u27s home, and higher programme attendance were all associated with greater odds of feeding LNS to targeted children. Children in this community-based supplemental feeding programme who received a locally produced LNS exhibited substantial micronutrient deficiencies given the special dietary needs of this population. These results can help inform programme strategies to improve LNS targeting, and highlight potential nutrient inadequacies for consumers of LNS in community-based settings